Always A Family
by NutellaNinja101
Summary: Excuses for having the original Paladins sleeping in the same bed after the events of season six.


Keith sat back down next to Shiro after proclaiming to the Lions that they would be heading back to Earth. He carefully pulled the sleeping form of his brother onto his lap, carding his fingers through Shiro's now white hair. He looked down at him, studied him carefully as he looked over the man who was nestled between his legs with a peaceful look on his youthful face. Keith observed as Shiro's tired body shifted lightly in his sleep and he turned closer towards Keith's warmth; Keith cringes slightly as the broad stump of his severed metal arm started digging into Keith's ribs. Dispite it though, he doesn't try to move him; he can't think of doing anything besides watching Shiro's face.

Keith couldn't help himself from running his fingers through the hanging limp of hair that floofs over Shiro's forehead, his fingers sliding through the white, soft hair that matches the rest of his hair. Keith's other hand quietly moves and rests against Shiro's pale cheek and he breathes a sigh of relief when he feels the feel the warmth of a loving, breathing, real person. His heavy press of a body was slumped against his own still but that didn't matter because he's _here._

 _He's here._

Keith could feel stares drilling into the back of his head and he turns slightly to see Lance, Pidge, Hunk, Allura, Coran, and his mom all looking at him and Shiro, obvious to everything else around them. All the Paladins have joyful tears running down their cheeks and Coran is beaming so hard he looked as if he might implode. His mother is smiling softly, a look of pride him her eyes that Keith sees often and still never fails to make his own heart soar at being the recipient of his mother's affection.

"We should get him in the Lion." Coran was the first to speak, still smiling to hard he might bust.

Instinctively, one of Keith's arms wrap around Shiro's flesh shoulder, holding him close. He knows it is just to get him on the ship so they can head home and protect him, but he doesn't want to let him out of his sight, not ever again.

Keith cleared his throat before answering but it still didn't hide the crack in his voice. "I'll take him in Black." Keith continued running his free hand through Shiro's hair, gently pushing it back from his face as though carding his fingers through an array of the finest treasures he had ever touched.

Coran nodded understandingly and he and all the Paladins came forward to help in whatever way they could. They all loved and cared for Shiro, but they could also see that Keith needed to hold him, keep him close. There would time with him later; Keith needed this right now. Lance grabbed a blanket from who-knows-where and covered Shiro's body with it before looking at Keith with a watery smile, unsure of what to say before he walked back to is own Lion to get ready for the journey home. Pidge does a scan of Shiro's missing limb as Lance leaves and tells Keith in a choked voice that he will be okay without a healing chamber and that she and Hunk will work on an arm right away. Hunk nods rapidly in agreement with her before they both start to run off to their prospective Lions and both give Shiro one more look behind their shoulders, needed that comfort of knowing he wasn't going to disappear the moment they turned their back. Allura mentions quickly that she and Coran would get the navigation set up for earth and made like she was about to leave, then she turned back and eyes Shiro with an unreadable look before she stooped low and gave a quick kiss to Shiro's cheek and made her way back to Coran, leaving a slightly shocked but silent Keith.

Keith's mom and the cosmic wolf watch Keith silently, waiting for his lead with a silent promise to not leave until he wants them to. Shiro inhaled deeply and shifts against Keith with the slightest, softest movement, and Keith quickly drops his gaze back to him. His brother and his best friend was _here_.

As softly as he could, Keith stretched out his legs and readjusting his grip around Shiro's shoulders, with one hand wrapped around his shoulders and the other under his legs, lifting them both up. The alien wolf quickly got to her feet as well and eyes her master with a determined look, silently vowing to follow him and his precious cargo anywhere.

Keith looked down, eyeing his brother's-Shiro's face as he gently took a step forward towards the Lion. Careful of the man's head resting against his chest, Keith cradled him like something priceless. He stepped into the open mouth of the Black Lion and didn't stop or slow down until he got to the cot that had a few blankets and a pillow on it. He laid him down softly and starts pulling the blanket up to Shiro's pale neck. After settling him down comfortably, Keith looks down at him thoughtfully for a few seconds before admitting to himself that he didn't want to leave him still, not yet...and after everything that had happened, maybe not ever again. Keith scooted himself over to the edge of the bed and wraps his arm around Shiro's body. Instinctively Shiro's head rolled again and nestled against Keith's chest. the intimate scene in front of them showed the wolf and Keith's mom that now was the time to let them have this time alone and they shuffled out without the slightest of noise.

Keith says nothing but prays they hear his thanks. Eventually Shiro is able to pry his eyes open and they stayed focused on Keith's; they don't falter or look away from Keith's own. Keith brushes Shiro's white floof of hair away from his forehead, ensuring that his touch stays gentle and light, Shiro somehow scoots closer to his brother's side.

"It's okay, Shiro," Keith murmured, fingers straying in Shiro's starlight-like hair.

"I know. You're here." Shiro whispered in a soft tone. He smiled softly and Keith felt his own eyes get watery suddenly.

As if in a daze, Shiro reached up with his remaining hand and cupped Keith's cheek fondly, frowning at he eyed the scar on Keith's cheek, the scar _he_ put there. Shiro moved his thumb back and forth slowly on the new mark on his cheek.

"I'm so sorry."

Keith shook his head stubbornly and reached up to grab Shiro's hand, holding him on the wrist and looking at him determinedly. "It was the Hagger. Not you."

Shiro didn't have the fight in him tofay to agree and simply just let the topic drop, his guilt still eating at him. He remembered all of the clone's memories, as well as his own memories from being in the Plane. Even if it was Hagger controlling the clone to do so, he still remembered the screams that echoed in the ship as he saw himself burn into flesh on Keith.

The little strength he had left him exhausted just from moving his hand and Shiro left his hand limp in Keith's grip.

Keith still had his one hand griping Shiro's hand before soon reluctantly releasing it to continued holding him close with his fingers that moved slow through Shiro's hair. The relaxing movements soothed Shiro to the point where he rested his head further into Keith's collarbones, his eyelids falling closed. Keith would keep him safe.

Keith stared down at him, his face soft with concern. As he felt himself start to fade into an exhausted sleep, he thought to himself that it was so good to see _him_ , Shiro thinks to himself with an overwhelming fondness. To see him, not just have his essence close.

Shiro let himself drift off once again, The top of the blanket rubbed against his jaw and he felt Keith move noiselessly before he laid himself more determinedly against Shiro's side, one arm wrapped around his waist protectively as he settled his head against Shiro's shoulder, holding on to him, unspoken promises that he would never leave him.

"I love you too." Shiro spoke in a low voice.

Keith held on tighter to that and inhaled deeply. "I won't lose you again. I swear it." Keith vowed.

Shiro smikled softly at that. "Not going anywhere…Not leaving you again." Shiro whispered. With both promise said aloud, Shiro felt Keith's breathing even and knew he was close to sleep. Shiro felt his own eyes drift shut and fell happily into sleep.

…..

Movement of soft footsteps attempting to be silent woke Shiro and he saw Lance.

Lance witnessed Shiro's eyes open and he smiled apologetically as he moved, softly this time, and made his way towards the bed that had Shiro and Keith in it. Keith was still asleep, mouth hanging open slightly and snoring softly.

"I just…" Lance began, his hand moving awkwardly to the back of his neck as he tried to find the right words. "I just wanted to see if you were okay."

Shiro didn't hide his smile at that and nodded gently, not wanting to wake up Keith. Lance nodded in relief at that but stayed in place, his eyes shifted uncomfortably as he opened his mouth and then shut it repeatedly, trying to ask something but worried about the response to it.

Shiro understood immediately.

Lance needed to know Shiro was here, not going to disappear or get taken away the moment he looked away, He needed that solid presence of Shiro being _here_.

Without saying a word, Shiro scooted slightly to the right, holding on to Keith so he didn't fall off the bed. When he moved enough, there was a reasonable space on the left side of him, leaving room for one more.

Lance positively beamed and nodded his thanks before he climbed onto the bed and settled on the left side of Shiro; his head rested on Shiro's shoulder and his arm moved gently onto Shiro's chest before his hand grabbed on Shiro's shoulder with a hold that proved he wasn't going to let go anytime soon.

Shiro was more than okay with that.

Lance settled against the warmth of Shiro and breathed in deeply, grounding himself to understand that Shiro was here and not dead or gone or lost in the Plane…

"I'm so sorry, Shiro."

Shiro opened his eyes and leaned his head over towards Lance. He could only see the top of his head but he knew his confused stare was obvious. "Sorry…for what?" His voice was tired and horse from the short amount of sleep he got but he tried to sound comforting.

"You tried to tell me…" Lance sniffed, his hold on Shiro's shoulder that was missing the arm. "But I didn't-I didn't-"

"Hey." Shiro said softy. "That wasn't your fault. Not even close."

"But if I stayed just a bit longer…I could have helped you sooner, you wouldn't have been stuck there, alone…" Lance's voice broke and he buried his head against Shiro's shoulder even more, his arm wrapping around Shiro's flesh arm.

"You found me now." Shiro stated firmly yet with a soft tone. "I'm here now, and I'm not going to leave any of you again."

Lance didn't seem convinced but with Shiro's supportive words, his sniffling did die down eventually. Shiro promises himself then that he would ensure Lance would understand that he had done nothing wrong.

"I'm so glad you're back." Lance mumbled, exhaustion consuming him after the events of the day.

"Wouldn't want to be anywhere else." Shiro assured.

Lance held somehow even tighter onto Shiro's arm and nestled against his shoulder, his eyes closed and his guilt eased somewhat. Soon Shiro heard Lance's breathing slow down and soon he started fading onto sleep, knowing he wouldn't let Shiro disappear ever again. Shiro's eyes lost the battle to stay awake and fell into the bliss of sleep.

…...

Pidge walked into the mouth of the Lion softly, hoping Shiro was wake for her to tell that her and Hunk were already getting started on his new arm and wanted to know his inputs. Shiro had that arm forcibly put on him with no thoughts or cares on what he wanted or needed. That was never going to happen again and she vowed to herself that he would know everything that happening and he had every say in what he wanted.

The sight of the three men curled together onto the small bed with a relaxed smile on their faces had whatever Pidge had planned to say fall flat.

" _Good."_ Pidge thought to herself. " _Shiro needs the rest…they all do."_ She was debating on leaving but, well, she had a hard enough time working while knowing that Shiro was actually here and not within her eye sight.

Pidge looked back at the mouth of the lion for leaving, then looked back at the sight of Shiro. In the end, having Shiro nearby won out of letting them three have privacy.

She took off her glasses and laid them carefully on the floor in front of the bed before he kicked off her shoes as well. Making minimum noise, she crawled on the very end of the bed and settled herself in a curled up ball at the end of by the foot, her fingers gently wrapping around Shiro's ankle and holding on with soft touches so not to wake him. She would work on his arm as soon as possible…just…for right now, she needed him close.

…...

Hunk peaked into the mouth of the Lion to see no one there. A plate full of food goo was being held carefully in his hands. His kitchen in Yellow wasn't up to par when they were in the Castle of Lion, but it should still be nutritious enough or Shiro after he hadn't eaten in month. How was that even possible? Not eating? Sounds like a punishment he wouldn't have even put Lotor through,

Hunk walked in as silently as possible into the Lion and it didn't take long for his eyes to settle on the sight of an twin size cot that was currently holding the rest of the paladins, all who were sleeping and curled around Shiro. Hunk's heart beamed at the sight. Having the family back…there were no words.

Hunk set the food on a table that was nearby and set himself on the ever end of the bed, resting his back against the wall and gently putting a sleeping Pidge on his legs to rest without moving her hard hold on Shiro's ankle. He kept his eyes on Shiro as his hands trailed through Pidge's hair soothingly. He pushed away Lance's foot away softly and grabbed Shiro's other ankle with an easy hold that he was not planning on giving up any time soon.

Soon all five paladins were holding onto to their leader with firm holds, even in their sleep they were holding on to him with a hold that not even an Altean could break. Their family was back. And nothing could change that.


End file.
